Near Death Experience

[Theresa McDowell]

I saw some people on the boards talking about food and cross contamination. Like beef broth in vegetarian soup or meat with the dairy...well I decided it's been long enough and that it was time to tell my "Cross contamination story." They say the truth will set me free.
Well lets start by saying.. I'm not trying to slam the DCL waiters because as far as I'm concerned they all desrve a medal but I was almost killed by cross contamination. I'm allergic to shellfish and mollusks. Anything with a hard exterior really scares the heck out of me, however I can eat fish. So on the final night of my cruise I ordered the sea bass. I thought I would be okay because I had spoken with the waiter about the issue and its seriousness before but apparently it slipped his mind. Now, I had ordered the fish in Palo's the night before and the waitress took care to make sure I was okay, so imagine my surprise when after enjoying my sea bass my throat started to close and my airway began to constrict at a rapid pace. There I was enjoying my blue marina cosmo type drink, trying to swallow, trying to breathe and suddenly the lights are dim. I'm signaling to my husband that there is a problem but it is hard to get his attention because now the wait staff is singing and to add hysteria to the situation, now people have begun the "Baked Alaska Extravaganza". So there I am, last night of my honeymoon, struggling to breathe, trying not to freak out, trying to flag down a waiter who is too busy clapping and singing too notice the scene, Baked alaska's are a'goin up in flames all around me and I have to run upstairs to the gift shop where the nicest french man made small talk with me while I'm just trying to chug a bottle of benadryll to halt the swelling in my trachea. Well...long story short (yes I know, too late) I downed a bottle of benadryll and still had to report to the ship Dr. for an I.V. and a steroid injection. And, to add insult to injury, I could not partake in the two-for-one tropical drinks at the promenade lounge...bummer! Well...here's the lesson....you can never remind people enough of what you CANNOT eat..never. If I feel bad about bothering the waiter to tell him again that I cant eat shellfish, that if I do I'll die, I just think about how bad I'm gonna feel when I start to gasp for dear life. Yea, not a pretty picture...well, thats my story...thanks for listening.

P.S. Going on cruise #4 in a couple days..only this time I think I might wear a sign. Yet through it all, I've tried not lose my sense of humor.

 

[CM_Mom]

There are some things that are too important to take chances on. Just keep on checking and asking how something was cooked and what it came in contact with. Better than ruining your vacation in the Med center or worse.

Although not that serious, I'm allergic to Nutrasweet and I know people get tired of me asking how stuff is sweetened. But it sure beats the migraine I get if I consume the stuff.

 

[Talking Hands]

There are some things that are too important to take chances on. Just keep on checking and asking how something was cooked and what it came in contact with. Better than ruining your vacation in the Med center or worse.

Although not that serious, I'm allergic to Nutrasweet and I know people get tired of me asking how stuff is sweetened. But it sure beats the migraine I get if I consume the stuff.

Ilm another allergic to nutrasweet and diabetic as well. Every diabetic dessert they had was sweetened with nutrasweet. I could have fruit but that meant giving up a carb at some other point in the meal so I usually did without. Last night though I had had it and had a real dessert. Three bites full of a lucious 3 chocolate dessert.
For me nutrasweet gives me extreme muscle weakness and pain to the point I cannot walk and lasts for a good week ot more. Definately not worth it. And that is from one can of diet Coke. I do bug people about how things are sweetened. Hopefully with so many on Aktins they will start using it for more desserts.
Also allergic to mango so had to remind them no mango everytome I did get fruit. That one is lifr and death.

 

[scrapperjill]

Theresa McDowell...keep in mind that a person can develope an allergy to anything at any time. Not saying your food wasn't contaminated with some sort of shell fish...but maybe youve developed a new allergy??? Just a thought. Often it takes a person a while to aquire an allergy. And with such a sever allergy with that reaction have you ever looked into getting an epi pen??

 

[my3kids]

Yep, you need the Epi Pen and to have it with you at all times. Scary stuff....Glad you are okay.

 

[SeaSpray]

Your story sounds EXACTLY like what happened to my niece last year when she cruised on a Royal Caribbean ship.

My niece is DEATHLY allergic to shellfish. I know this firsthand because when she was an infant, I was 10 years old at the time, I was at my sister's house when she was making lobster or crab for dinner. Suddenly we look at the baby and see these LUMPS forming on her eyelids!! We grabbed her and rushed her to the ER. I had to hold her in my arms during this ride and it was quite disturbing to this young 10 year old girl to see her tiny disfigured niece

Anyway....all these years later, my niece cannot even be around shellfish, let alone ingest any of it.

So...last year on her cruise, apparently there WAS cross contamination and she had a pretty severe reaction, but was able to continue with the cruise, albeit a bit groggy from all the Benadryl. She said a couple of nights later, she walked into the diningroom and she immediately began to feel the symptoms again. She found out it was lobster night that night. She didn't even get to her table before feeling the effects of the shellfish in the air.

She and her DH then went to RCI's equivalent of Palo, and enjoyed dinner there.

People with these allergies have to be so careful when dining out, but sometimes it might not be the fault of anyone; waiter, chef, etc. With a severe enough allergy, just being the same room can trigger a reaction.


Theresa: I'm glad you were OK and glad to see your sense of humor, too!

 

[staylor]

The same thing happened to my brother at a very upscale restuarant in New York City. The waitress told him his food would be absolutely safe. Well I guess someone cooking w/ shellfish cooked his food as well.
Needless to say, he now carries an epi pen w/ him at all times.
Staci

 

[crisi]

I'm glad you have a sense of humor because I was laughing. Something about a medical emergency during a baked alaska extravaganza followed by a nice French man making small talk while you don't die.

My BIL is also allergic to shellfish and carries an epipen. Severe food allergies are tough, because they can sneak up on you.

I have a similar not funny and yet really funny story about my son, reoccuring febrile seizures and a two year old stoned on Valium (mom, these are the best graham crackers I've ever had).

 

[epermar]

What is an epi pen? I discovered I had shellfish allergy years ago after having my second child. Scary to think just being 'around' it can cause a reaction.

 

[DeeCeeSW]

An Epipen is an auto injector full of epinephrine. You inject it into your thigh. It will help relieve your symptoms once you use it, but you will still need to see a physician after administering it. I carry an Epipen, Jr. for my son and had to inject him for the first time in 4 years.

 

[dcandmc]

An "epi pen" is an auto injector that contains epinephrin (sp?). You take the cap off, jab the needle into your thigh, and the drug is released to counteract an allergic reaction.

 

[minkydog]

What you experienced is called anaphylaxis(anna-phil-AX-iss)--in other words, life threatening allergic reaction. In the future please do the following:
**Get someones attention immediately, if you have to yank on their arm!
**Tell them you are having a life-threatening reaction and you need them to call 911(or the equivalent. )
**Do NOT leave the room--people have died trying to "fix" this kind of thing on their own. The medical staff (EMTs whatever)will come to you.
**If you have an epipen, use it.

This kind of reaction can kill you within minutes. You were very lucky. Ask your doctor for a prescription for an epipen today.

Cathy--RN for 27 years, has had anaphylactic reactions to pineapple and cranberries. Takes breathing seriously

 

[goofysgirl]

Wow, this is a scary a story with a happy ending. You are very lucky to be around to tell it. I have a severe allergy to seafood. All seafood-so I know where you are coming from. Benedryl would not have stopped my anaphylaxis, so I carry an epi whereever I go. Please see your allergist immediately, they will provide you with the script for the pen. Also have them check to see if your allergy is worsening to other types of seafood.
I wish you luck as this is one allergy that can not be desensitized or cured. Be thankful the benedryl did the trick and get the epi, you do not need to experience anything like this again.
Cindy

 

[tvguy]

Not to flame you, but your waiter is not a doctor. And what makes you suspect cross contamination. It sounds like you found out you have a new food allergy.
What if that had happened at home ? Would you blame the supermarket that sold you the fish?
Food allergies are scary things. A man died in our town eating something he had never had a problem with before. Coroner tested the meal. There was nothing in the meal that the man had every had an allergic reaction to before. Sounds like you need to see a doctor and carry an epi-pen.

 

[rachelp]

We are leaving for our cruise tomorrow - and on this subject, has anyone had this experience on DCL with tree nuts? My 4yr. old son is deathly allergic to tree nuts (all nuts other than peanuts) and I am bringing an epi-pen. Should I carry it on my person? Give it to the counselors? I will of course tell all of them - but we won't always be together

 

[krhardy]

I too have had serious food allergies, ranging from headache, to near and potential death. I definitely understand about the aspertame...it gives me a whopper of a headache! I'm always concerned with artificial sweeteners. People have a hard time believing when I list off my other allergies...apples, pears, honeydew, peanut butter (NOT peanuts...go figure!), and mushrooms. Any type of fungus leads to serious breathing issues, especially airborn fungus/mold. But ingesting fungus, I've been told by my Dr., could kill me. I am definitely a compulsive picky eater because of all my allergies. I know people consider me "high maintenance", but my life is worth a lot to me. I've never carried an epi pen for myself because I am SOOOOO picky...pick through everything that goes in my mouth, and don't eat ANYTHING I can't identify. We carry one for our 4 year old due to reactions to insect bites/stings, and her asthma. One other advantage to an epi pen is that it works a heck of a lot faster than benadryl! If you're having a life threatening reaction, even if you have the Benadryl with you, you could still die before it gets into your blood stream.
I join the previous posters in saying: This is serious business. Don't mess around with it.

 

[sweet angel]

Stupid question...I've developed an allergy to shrimp. I don't eat any other seafood (except tunafish), so I'm not too worried, but is shrimp considered shellfish? Or is it just sealife with hard shells?

 

[diz karen]

rachelp - Most of the children at my daycare who have epi-pens carry the epi-pen with them in a fanny pack. I definately would leave it wherever your child is going to be. There is not time for them to find you and for you to get there. I think I would take at least 2 epi-pens on a trip with me. If one got misplaced it would be nice to have a back up.
It would also be a good idea to have 2 when leaving the ship. Sometimes you need to administer 2 before medical aid can be gotten.

 

[tvguy]

Stupid question...I've developed an allergy to shrimp. I don't eat any other seafood (except tunafish), so I'm not too worried, but is shrimp considered shellfish? Or is it just sealife with hard shells?

By every defination I have seen, shrimp are shellfish. Our bodies are strange machines, as evidenced by krhardy's situation. How you can be allergic to peanut butter but NOT peanuts, only god knows.
I attended a Little League safety seminar last year, and the Doctor suggested we keep Epi-pens in our first aid kits. He did not, however, explain how we can get them without a prescription, nor did he deal with the legal issues of how we can legally give and illegally obtained prescription injection to a minor.

 

[cruisenewbie2004]

If you have a near death reaction to food allergies, your doctor should have prescribed this for you. I'm really surprised you don't know what an epi pen is. This is life saving and if you have such allergies you should have been carrying one everywhere, all the time